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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27780637">Memories Beneath the Snow</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/RikaRov/pseuds/RikaRov'>RikaRov</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Fluff, M/M, Proof of Justice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:34:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,153</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27780637</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/RikaRov/pseuds/RikaRov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Futaba mentions the name of the toy gun, Proof of Justice. Wait, he remembered this phrase, this must belong to Akechi but why would he leave this to him?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro &amp; Akechi Goro's Mother, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Memories Beneath the Snow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Somnum showed me <a href="https://twitter.com/NoxSomni/status/1333107744753246209?s=20">an artwork</a> of Goro sitting alone by the swings and this is born.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Autumn entering winter, Goro fell sick again because of the sudden change of temperature. His body was weak and suffering from malnutrition, Akechi couldn't afford a better life condition for her little sweet boy.</p><p>Akechi had taken a day off to take care of Goro, good thing she saved up a little for winter. She bought Goro cold medicines for children, they were not cheap but for the young age, it was not the best to consume aspirin or paracetamol.</p><p>Back in their rented room, Goro was curled up on his futon, blanket kicked away. Akechi filled up a glass of water and settled everything down besides Goro. She knelt down beside Goro and tucked the blanket back to place. She placed her forehead to his, checking his temperature. It’s still burning hot, and he’s frowning in his sleep. </p><p>“What are you dreaming, my little prince? I hope it is not some nightmare.” Akechi said and left a kiss between his eyebrows.</p><p>Akechi took up the small handkerchief that slipped off from Goro’s forehead and rinsed with the water bucket besides her. Wringed it dry and gave Goro a full body wipe gently, trying not to wake up her little sweetheart.</p><p>Goro’s temperature went down a little and Akechi let out a relieved exhale, Goro tends to sweat a lot during high fever and she wants him to be as comfortable as he can. Settling his 5 years old back down, she placed a new wringed handkerchief on his forehead.</p><p>Goro doesn’t seem like he’ll be waking up soon, Akechi decided to prepare some food and get some chores done before Goro wakes up. </p><p>Akechi settled the rice to simmer with some chicken and sliced ginger in a pot, it was Goro’s favourite dish when he’s sick. She went back to the room to fold the dried laundry and that was when Goro’s nightmare hit him.</p><p>Goro trashed and turned in his futon, murmuring something about “proof of justice” and “bad guys begone”, “You’re dreaming about Featherman again? Featherman Red?” Akechi held her son’s little hand and gently stroked his hair.</p><p>That seemed to work, it always worked. Goro stopped kicking his feet and his breath slowly fell back into even pace. “Time to wake up, my little hero.” Akechi knew her son could hear her at this point and Goro slowly blinks awake.</p><p>“Mom…” Goro brought his hand to rub his puffy eye, he was sleeping all day. He let out a yawn while stretching his stiff body, “AhhhhhOhayoo”</p><p>“Honey, it was almost night time already.” </p><p>Blinking in shock, Goro shot up in his futon and turned his head to look at the clock, it was past 6pm. “Oh no, I missed today’s Featherman rerun…” </p><p>“My dear, you’ve watched today’s episode yesterday already.” Akechi said as she checked Goro’s temperature with her palm, it seemed like the fever was still there. “Now wash up with the handkerchief, I’ll get dinner here.”</p><p>Goro listened to her mother and got himself to work, even his body still felt a little wobbly as he wringed out the water from the handkerchief. He wiped his face, his neck and his body, feeling a little bit refreshed from all the sweat.</p><p>When Goro’s done, he helped set the utensils on the coffee table as his mother placed a black steaming pot in the middle of the table. Goro’s eyes brightened up as he smelled the chicken and ginger flavours in the air, “Mom, you always know what I wanted.”</p><p>Goro’s smile was all Akechi could ever ask for, it never failed to lighten up her mood. She pat Goro’s head once and said, “I’m your mom for 5 years, who else will know what you wished for?” </p><p>Akechi took Goro’s bowl and scooped him a bowl of porridge, then scooped up the one piece of chicken and settled it on top of a plate, another bowl of porridge for herself. Using the chopstick, she broke down the chicken meat into pieces and gave Goro the biggest piece. “Mom, you can have the biggest one.”</p><p>“A sick child will not complain and accept whatever given to them. You’ll need to eat more to give your body energy to fight. Just like Featherman Red.” Akechi always knew how to speak Goro’s language to make him listen to her.</p><p>Giving his mother a big nod, “Yes! The Feathermen always eat full meals so they can fight the evil! Itadakimasu!”</p><p>Back of Akechi was thinking: <i>Featherman eh? The symbol of justice? Wait, Proof of Justice. Maybe, this Christmas finally I’m able to save up for one.</i></p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>—</p>
</div>Goro was sitting on the swings, alone, an old plastic toy in his hand. This playground was located in his neighbourhood when he still lived with his mother.<p>Goro traced his fingers along the shape of the toy gun, Proof of Justice. The plastic body has grown yellowish and the stickers on it have already faded into white. It was a secondhand toy his mother had brought for him for the last Christmas they celebrated together.</p><p>Goro was really young back then, not all of her mother’s memory sticks well in his memory. But he remembered very well the day he received this gift, “You’ll always be my hero” she said.</p><p>Goro used to play very often with this gun, pretending to be Featherman Red, the leader of the group and will protect everyone from the evil, especially his mother. </p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
  
</p>
</div><p>Pulling the scarf closer to his nose, like his mom used to do when he was sick and crying in his nightmares. He closed his eyes and felt a big warm hand caressing his hair, like Goro’s the most precious treasure.</p><p>Opening his eyes again, his eyes were red, tears still rolling in his eyes. Blinking away his tears, he wrapped the toy gun with a cloth and set foot to Leblanc.</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>—</p>
</div>Tomorrow’s the day Akira heads back to his hometown, his probation comes to an end. He packs all his belongings in a big box, set to deliver by courier to his home. He checks under the bed and shelf to make sure nothing's left behind. Strangely, he found a wrapped cloth in between the milk crates.<p>Akira takes it out and unwraps it, it’s an old toy gun, but he recognises the colour patterns on it, it’s from the Featherman series. He takes the toy to Futaba thinking it was hers but it was not, claiming she will never keep such a worn out toy as a collection.</p><p>Futaba mentions the name of the toy gun, Proof of Justice. Wait, he remembered this phrase, this must belong to Akechi but why would he leave this to him? </p><p>Feeling puzzled by Akechi’s motives, he still keeps it anyway, in his shoulder bag, together with a few books Akechi gifted him back in February when they hung out at Jazz Jin.</p><p>“Hey, still not ready?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/RikaRovy">My twitter</a> but mostly I just RT other creators' stuff.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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